Madurai: Teachers in Tamil Nadu have expressed frustration over the increasing workload of uploading data on the Education Management Information System (EMIS), despite a previous assurance from the state government that they would be relieved from such tasks.

The EMIS portal, designed to capture details of schools, teachers and students, requires teachers to upload information ranging from daily attendance to welfare scheme beneficiaries. At one point, more than 150 details had to be entered, which teachers said severely hampered classroom teaching, especially in areas with poor network connectivity.

Following widespread discontent, School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi had last year announced that teachers would be exempted from EMIS-related work, leading to a partial reduction in tasks. However, teachers allege that the burden has returned with fresh directives.

Officials have recently asked schools to upload data on students' physical and health conditions, including eye and ear tests, on the DNSET Schools app. Besides routine attendance entries, teachers are also required to update information on students identified under the 'Focus' and 'Skills' programmes, art festival participants, prize winners, recipients of nutritious meals, Aadhaar updates, bus pass beneficiaries and welfare scheme coverage.

“The workload is mounting again. We question the status of temporary staff appointed for these uploads. Officials appear to have ignored the minister's order within months,” said office-bearers of the Pudukottai Teachers' Association.